If you’re planning to start a construction company or already own one or work for one and are looking to attract more customers, you’ll need to be clear about who your target market is and who isn’t.
So who is the target market for a construction company?
All companies have strengths and weaknesses and accordingly have better access to certain markets over others. Construction companies are no different.
Some construction companies specialize in commercial construction projects while others only work on residential projects.
Other construction companies may only work on infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, and tunnels while some others may specialize in just industrial construction like factories, oil refineries, power plants, etc.
So, let’s review the target market for a construction company and see how they make purchase decisions.
Who is the Target Market for a Construction Company?
One of the best ways to understand the target market for a construction company, we need to ask ourselves, who needs a construction company.
Answering this question gives us the following segments of the market for a construction company:
- Homeowners
- Property developers
- Businesses (for buildings, factories, etc)
- Governments (for roads, bridges, tunnels, etc)
- Other Construction Companies
Let’s look closely at the need of each of these customer segments.
#1. Homeowners
Homeowners often need a construction company for two reasons:
– They are building a new home from scratch.
– They need to renovate or add an addition to their existing home.
In both cases, the homeowner is the one who will be making the final decision to hire a construction company. In most cases, they will be looking for a company that can provide a competitive quote, has good reviews, and can start work on the project quickly.
The construction company’s marketing team needs to be able to target homeowners with advertising that speaks to these needs.
#2. Property developers
Property developers are usually companies or individuals who buy land, build homes or other structures on that land, and then sell them. This makes them a target market for a construction company but also a potential partner.
The needs of property developers are somewhat different than homeowners in the sense that they look to make a profit on their investment. Also, they are more likely to be building multiple homes or structures at the same time.
This means that they will be looking for a construction company with which they can establish a good working relationship and that can span multiple projects over many years.
#3. Businesses (for buildings, factories, etc)
Businesses often need construction companies to help build new offices, and factories or add extensions to existing buildings and infrastructure.
While many businesses will not directly hire a construction company, they are more likely to hire an architect or engineering firm who will then, in turn, hire a construction company.
The needs of businesses are somewhat similar to those of homeowners in that they are not looking to build a long-term relationship (unlike property developers) but are rather looking for a company that is competitive on pricing, has experience with similar projects, and can get the project done on schedule.
#4. Governments (for roads, bridges, tunnels, etc)
Governments at the local, state, and federal levels are some of the largest customers of construction companies. They can be difficult customers to win but can also be a very lucrative target market for a construction company.
Governments often need to build or repair roads, bridges, tunnels, and other public infrastructure. These projects are usually large in scope and can span many years.
The needs of the government are similar to those of businesses in that they look for a company with experience, a good track record, and the ability to get the project done on schedule and within budget.
However, the government also has the added layer of needing to comply with many regulations. This means that the construction company needs to be familiar with the relevant regulations and have a plan in place to comply with them including rules related to procurement.
#5. Other Construction Companies
Construction companies often need to hire other construction companies to help with specific aspects of a project or to act as a subcontractor.
For example, a construction company might need to hire a demolition company, an excavation company, or a concrete company for specific parts of a larger project.
Similar to property developers, construction companies look to establish long-term relationships with other construction companies that they can rely on for future projects.
Conclusion
In this article, we segmented the target market for a construction company based on the reasons why someone would hire a construction company.
That gave us the following segments of this market: homeowners, property developers, businesses, governments and other construction companies.
If you’re planning to start a construction company or already own one and looking to expand your business, be sure to understand your target markets so that you can design marketing strategies and plans to attract these customers to your business.
